Hello everyone,

Since version 1.1.8, there is also a Portable Edition of WinSnap available for download. It is a special edition of WinSnap designed to run it from a removable media (USB flash drive, memory stick, iPod/MP3 player, network share, etc).

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"A portable application, or portable app for short, is a software program that does not require any kind of formal "installation" onto a computer's permanent storage device to be executed, and can be stored on a removable storage device such as a USB flash drive and used on multiple computers."

Usually the standard version of WinSnap also does not require installation instead of creating shortcuts (the setup program additionally checks compatibility and already installed versions, allows to choose directory and components to install). But the standard version uses Windows registry to store their settings... and therefore it is not fully portable!


What is the difference between 'standard' and 'portable' edition?

1. Portable Edition stores all settings into the same folder as the main executable. This allows you to copy & move your settings with the application folder.

2. The default Auto-Save folder does not depend on drive letter. It is very useful if you are running it from a USB stick on different computers (from different drive letters, actually). So you can make screenshots and automatically save them in the same location on your portable device. (All other paths, such as watermark settings, are stored in the same manner... )

3. Additional checks for some other options (e.g. for autostart option and periodical updates).


For registered users

First of all, WinSnap is licensed under "per-user" basis. That means you personally can use a licensed copy of WinSnap on any number of computers with no limitations.

Simply copy your license file into your WinSnap directory and restart the program.


Links

Download WinSnap Portable Edition
Feature highlights (Screenshots)
Register WinSnap

Thanks for this Portable Version...
Very Good !!!!!

There was a small mistake with a registry entry in v1.1.8 Portable (thanks to Cuong).

Download fixed version here:
http://www.ntwind.com/download/WinSnap_1.1.8.1-portable.zip

I love the idea of Portable Application. Thanks a lot for that.

Are you also in touch with the guys from portableapps.com?
I am sure they would like to include Winsnap in their application suite.

Once more I am glad that we have this functional tool.

Hi,

I registered WinSnap yesterday. Mainly for the portable version, since my part-time contract job's place of employment has the workstations locked down with a minimal software set. Can't install anything, so I've been using a U3 drive to get back some functionality that I'm accustomed to having.

My question: I'm wondering if there are any plans to make WinSnap portable U3 compliant, so that it will appear on the program menu. It's handy to load off the menu rather than doing the Explorer drill down to the folder. (I have created a shortcut on the desktop, for now.)

Thanks!
-John Passarella

I will check out their SDK and I will respond within 2-3 days. Thank you!

John, please try to install this package:
http://www.ntwind.com/download/WinSnap_2.0-portable.u3p

If you could send a few screenshots on how it looks, it would be very helpful.

Hi Alexander.

I was looking for a U3 version of WinSnap, 10 minutes ago I found this post, I installed it and bought a license.

In attach you can see how it looks in the U3 LaunchPad.

There is a problem with this first U3 version:

As you know U3 uses a temporary folder on the host PC to run the program, when you unmount the U3 usb key, the launchpad erases all traces on the host pc. When I licensed the product, WinSnap created the WinSnap.key file in the working directory where the executable is running from (temp directory on the host pc). When I configure WinSnap, the .ini file gets updated in the same directory. The problem is that when I close WinSnap and I pull out the U3 usb key, the U3 LaunchPad closes and it erases all those files from the temp directory; when I insert the key again, launchpad starts, I execute WinSnap and it's like when I started it for the first time: all the customizations I make are lost because files get written on the host PC and not on the U3 key (specifically, in the U3drive:\System\Apps folder.

There are 2 folders under each U3 subdirectory apps folder, Data and Exec. I tried putting all WinSnap data files (WinSnap.key, Lang subdir, etc.) under the Data folder to see if WinSnap read those from the U3 key instead of the temporary host PC folder but that wasn't the case.

Also, when I save the screenshots, file are written in the Screenshots folder on the host pc, rather then on the U3 key. You should make sure that the running executable of WinSnap uses its Data folder on the U3 key rather than the host PC.

I think that in the U3 SDK those things are explained, if you need to test a new version let me know, I'll be glad to help.

I'll be waiting for the next WinSnap U3 version...

Ciao,
Alessandro

So, now I understand the problem and I will release a new U3 version the next week.

Thanks a lot for your feedback, Alessandro.

Hi, Alexander -

Just read the U3 replies today; I was out of the office on FRI. I'm glad to hear you're addressing the U3 situation so quickly. I thought you were practically THERE with the portable version anyway, so it would be great to make it an official U3 app. You can then get listed at U3.com, etc. and open the product to a brand new audience.

Since there appears to be a slight install problem at the moment, I'll wait until the next iteration of the U3 version to install it on my U3 drive. (FYI: I was a registered user of SnagIt and had asked them about a U3 version and it doesn't seem as if they plan to address the issue any time soon, which was why I went hunting specifically for a portable caputre solution -- and found WinSnap!

I hope the fixes are minor and you can roll out the second u3 version without too many headaches. To my layman's perspective, it seems as if default directories shouldn't be too hard to diagnose/setup/deploy, but I'll leave that to you, the master. Meanwhile, I'm using the portable version okay, as is, so it's not a major emergency. It actually came in quite handy a moment ago!

Thanks again,
Jack

Glad to be of help...

If you want me to do some tests let me know...

Bye,

Alessandro

Hi Alexander,

any news about the new (working) portable version?

Thank you,

Alessandro

Hi, Alexander -
I'm curious as well. I saw reference to PackageFactory elsewhere, which can convert portable apps to U3 apps.

http://www.eure.ca/

Sounds too good to be true. Anyone have any experience with it? I have a few portableapps that I'd like to convert to U3, mainly to get them on the launchpad menu.

Thanks,
-John Passarella

I have not finished with it yet. Please wait...

Take your time Alexander...

Didn't want to bother you...sorry about that...